CO 
1. Jn Account of the Earthquakes in 
Sicilia, on the Ninth and Eleventh 
of January , 1^9^. Tranjlated 
from an Italian Letter mote from 
Sicily by the Noble Vincentius 
BonajutliS, and Communicated to 
the Royal Society by the 
Learned Marcellus Malpighius , 
Thyjician to his prefent Holinef. 
TH E Great Secrets of Nature are fo infcrutable, 
that we find them far out of our reaeh when, 
ever we go about to form a true and nice Judgment of 
them ; nor is the Task lefs difficult to difcovcr the Ef- 
fe<3;s of Portentous Events, divers Accidents being often 
confounded with the Effeds themfelves, and one Caufe 
enchained with and depending on another. With thefe 
Difficulties I find my felf encompafled in this Relation 
which you have commanded from me of the Natural 
Events and Effefts of the late Earthquake, of which 
there are fome whereof we yet are in fufpenfe, whence 
they were caufcd, cr whether they fprung from a 
hidden Principle, or blind Chance. Theft Doubts ob- 
liged me to relate all, and lay the whole before you^ 
tr^c ycur Prudent and Searching Judgment may choofe 
out fuch as may feem moft likely to fatisfie the Defires 
of Stgnier Marcelk Malpighiy and leave the reft as only 
Niceties of Jefi Value. 
The 
